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Bob Dylan movie leads indie Spirit Awards

Film Independent supports moviemakers working outside Hollywood's major studios or within the studios' specialty film divisions. The awards have become an important barometer for which low-budget and art films might compete for Oscars, Golden Globes or other honors in Hollywood's annual awards season.

Angelina Jolie was nominated for best leading actress playing Pearl's wife in "Mighty Heart" and relative newcomer Ellen Page earned a nod for "Juno." Joining them were Sienna Miller for "Interview," Parker Posey in "Broken English" and another newcomer, China's Tang Wei, in drama "Lust, Caution."

In the category for best leading actor, Don Cheadle was nominated for his role as a radio disc jockey in "Talk To Me" and Philip Seymour Hoffman earned a nomination playing one of the siblings in "The Savages."

Other best actor nominees included veteran Frank Langella in "Starting Out in the Evening," Tony Leung, a veteran of Hong Kong movies, for "Lust, Caution" and Pedro Castaneda portraying a migrant worker in "August Evening."

Joining Blanchett for supporting actress were Jennifer Jason Leigh for "Margot at the Wedding," Anna Kendrick in "Rocket Science," Tamara Podemski for "Four Sheets to the Wind" and Marisa Tomei with "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead."

Supporting actor nominees with Franklin were Steve Zahn in "Rescue Dawn," Chiwetel Ejiofor for "Talk to Me," Kene Holliday in "Great World of Sound," and Irrfan Khan in "The Namesake."

Foreign film nominees included Romania's "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days," winner of the Cannes film festival's Palme d'Or, Israeli film "The Band's Visit," Irish drama "Once" and two French films, "Lady Chatterley" and the animated "Persepolis."

The Spirit Awards will be given out February 23 in a ceremony that will air on the Independent Film Channel.